- Vivman
I love armor and I love books (two great tastes that taste great together) and I bet many on this message board do to. I thought it would be fun and informative to discuss.
Here is my little survey.
1. Number of AFV related volumes in your library
Tough to say - It depends on how you define 'AFV related. Is Shelby Stantons 'WWII Order of Battle' Armor related? What about the Volume of Morisons Us Naval Operations of WWII that discuses landing the tanks in Operation Torch (What about where he talks about LVT Operations imn the Pacific?) What about My book on 'U.S. Amphibious Ships: an Illustrated Design History' It discuses (in detail) LSTs , LCMs, and LVTs?
Yea I know I'm nit picking!
So I'll take a SWAG at 250-300
2. Favorite book (no set criteria – just ‘cause)
Brazen Chariots. It reads well, I wish he had written more. Although I didn't have any problem with this being my favorite their are others that I like a lot. Usually for different reasons 'Steel Victory' by Yeide is a good survey of U.S. Tank Battalions in Europe. 'Commanding the Red Army's Shermans' is an excellent book about a little known topic.
3. Favorite author
Another tough call. An easy answer would be Hunnicutt. But I think Yeide compliments him well and both of them are in a different class than Robert Crisp, Loza, Or Robert Dick who wrote about their own explots, And I'm not even thinking about the memoirs that came out of Vietnam (Or the ones that are going to come out like our own Doug Kibbey's )or will soon come out of Iraq.
Then there is Harold Coyle and W.E.B. Griffin for armor related fiction
4. Favorite “Bathroom reader�
I'm drawing a blank. There's always a book I'm working on (usually a paperback for work so it can be discretely carried in a pocket as well as one at home) But it is probably more often a Naval book, often a reference that I'm comparing cruisers, or carriers, etc.
5. Latest acquisitions
Praying For Slack: A MArine Corps Tanl Commander in Vietnam
Cutthroats: The Adventures of a Sherman Tank Driver in teh Pacific
Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad
Nelson To Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945 (That's HEAVY armor )
I just rememberd picking up a book on British 7th Arm'd Division in Europe that I can't put my hands on right now (I wonder where I put it?)
6. Rarest book
Probably my full set of Hunnicutts
7. Most valuable book
Probably my full set of Hunnicutts
8. Most money you have ever paid for a book
$262 for Hunnicutts Stuart (Don't tell my wife )
9. Best deal you have gotten on a purchase
When Amazon sent me 3 copies of 'Death Traps' I passed on 2 of them so all of us paid 1/3 the cost.
10. Most enjoyable read
Brazen Chariots, years ago
11. Most underrated book (and why)
Steel Victory by Yeide. An excellent survey of the U.S. Independent Tank Battalions in Europe. an excellent counterpoint to 'Death Traps' but it's more popular to knock shermans than praise them.
12. What AFV related books are you currently reading
Thunder Run is next on the list. along with a Glantz book on the eatern front as well as that 7th Rm'd Div book I can't find.
13. What are your “Holy Grail� books (and how long have you been searching)
Well I have all the Hunnicutt's now so I guess it's 'Feint Praise' by Bailey. I've been seriously looking for a year or so.
14. Most overexposed AFV subject
German tanks, any German tanks
15. Most under reported AFV subject
Korean War memoirs, and Eastern front Soviet tanker memoirs.